We saw the opening round in Vegas, Ricky's debut ride on Suzuki. We watched it on TV a month later.
Then we saw the International round from Vancouver.....Very different....Hmmm,,,,even the bikes looked different.....Let me explain. In Vegas, Ricky had real trouble cornering. And finally dumped it in a turn, which let Chad Reed take the checkered flag. That bike looked near stock i.e. typically over tall Suzuki RM......Now in Vancouver, it had to be a different bike, it looked different, lower, like it was chopped through the middle, shorter from seat to footpegs. It cornered like a champ, jumped great, Ricky was on fire......

In the old days, MX bikes could corner. MX bikes could powerslide. True, their suspension was stoneage, maybe 7" in front and 4" in back, but they carried their weight low, and handled great. With the new suspension, handling has gone out the window. With center of gravity carried higher to accomodate the new suspension travel, cornering is tenuous, and uncomfortable. Tracks are a series of straight line jumps and whoops, with big banked corners to turn these little piglets around.

.......Then along comes little Ricky, who must have said " build me an RM like I want it, and I will win for Suzuki" SO,,,,,Ricky's RM,,,,Handles,,,,corners,,,,,,Jumps,,,,,,,Isn't that what we all want?

Bring it Suzuki!

 

OOps,,,,I thought I was on the Suzuki forum.....duh....

 

Any pictures that show the difference in the two motorcycles you are talking about? We have a YZ125 for kid #1, a YZ250F for me, and a KX65 for kid #2, and they're all too tall for the rider to reach the ground. An entirely new design would be something interesting for a change.

And whats up with McGrath riding for Honduh again?

OuterLimit

 

it is now,,,
dropped the other one too

[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

The bike Ricky rode in Vegas wasn't exactly what he wanted. He didn't have that much time to get the bike situated perfectly for him because Honduh had him by the short-n-curlies until his contract expired, limiting his time to get ready. The real reason he went down in Vegas was because the clutch locked up. It was stuck in gear for a couple laps, and then it went out. Roger has been working with him ever since then to really tailor the bike to his size and style. Ricky has a really strange set-up on his bikes. If you really want to see what has to be done to fit a bike to Ricky, go pick up the January edition of Motocross Action. They do a full run-down on his works CRF450. As far as the bike appearing shorter, that's understandable. Ricky is very short. Plain and simple. Honduh had to cut and reweld the subframe to lower it, plus they carved a notch into the seat foam. Suzuki has likely done the same things to his works RM250.

From your statements about how the new bikes handle like "piglets," I am led to believe that you haven't ridden any new iron lately, especially not an RM. Suzukis carve corners no matter how tall you are or how banked the turn is. They turn, and they turn really good. Almost too good because they are a little "nervous" at speed due to their rake and trail, but they've been calmed down because of new damping and spring rates. Have you watched James Stewart murder corners on his KX? I highly doubt he feels "tenuous and uncomfortable" while carving a line tapped-out in third. The only way a new bike feels like crap in a corner is if you are upright and not leaned over. Everyone knows that you go much faster while leaning over, so who in their right mind would corner without leaning in? There's a science to turning a bike. Weight slightly forward, pushing down on the outside peg, inside leg extended and not allowed to hit the ground, sitting on the outside edge of the seat, knee pushing against the radiator shroud, elbows out and loose, and head up. You pretty much do the same thing on an old bike, it's just that new bikes are more effective at turning these actions into speed. There's a reason why corner speeds are so high today: suspension and chassis evolution. It all has to do with the suspension and chassis dynamics and how they work together. Think about it. Today's bikes wouldn't be designed the way they are unless they benefited from it. Look at a pic of any pro's bike when they're in a corner. The suspension is compressed. That's how the CG is manipulated to enhance handling, by letting the bike squat and lower itself while turning, then extending to absorb the hit from a jump. If modern bikes didn't squat in the corners, they would handle like "piglets." But they do, so they don't. Believe me, it doesn't take much squat to dramatically change the handling of a bike. I've ridden some old iron back-to-back with a newer bike just for kicks, and there was no comparison. The bikes were an 84 RM250 and a 99 KX250. What a difference 15 years makes. The old bike turned like crap, no matter how I approached the corner. The KX could have easily gone around it anywhere in a corner. High, low, squared-off, diamond, it wouldn't have mattered. There is no comparison between old and new.

Now, about McGrath being on Honduhs again. He is a factory rider, yes, but he will only compete at a few selected races. His plans thus far are to race Anaheim 1, Phoenix, Anaheim 2, and San Diego. He may anounce other race dates after the beginning of the season on January 8.

A little about me: I worked with Team Suzuki Off Road riders Rodney Smith and Steve Hatch for the 2000-2003 seasons, so that's where I get my perspective from. I have met Ricky and watched him ride several times. He is so fast it's scary, especially in the woops and corners. He is in good hands with Roger DeCoster and the rest of the Suzuki team.

 

Thanks for a great, and really informative explanation. In my old age I have settled into a very nice DS-650 Baja X. My son has taken up riding an RMZ-250 and has made the switch over from quads fairly well. I grew up riding that "old MX iron" and when I get on these new MX bikes it totally freaks me out. Even my choice of street bikes betrays my age. I like the technology of the crotch rockets, but not the riding position. I am not ready to grow a foot long beard either, and have found a nice compromise in the Suzuki V-Strom.
Okay, I'm 50.

I understand quite a bit about suspension, sag, zero preload, rake & trail etc. and can appreciate what you are saying about the new MX bikes. I am glad to see cornering ability back as a priority, watching Ricky carve/slide through those turns was a thing of beauty, especially compared to Vegas.

We are hoping for a big year for Ricky and Suzuki. Thanks again for your very informed response! Let's hope the production RMs benefit from Ricky's experiences with Suzuki.
I can't say if I will ever get past a quick test ride, and totally freaking out, but there's always the chance....I don't think I will ever get over my old 250 Maico, but since my Baja X is ringing my chimes I guess it really doesn't matter....